Lausitzring preview facts and figures on Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup

The Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup will hold its fourth race of the season at the Lausitzring on 17/18 June. Below you will find information on the Legends entrants from the motorcycle scene, Bradl, Waldmann & company, plus facts, quotes and the schedule for the race weekend to be held on the outskirts of Berlin.

Facts and figures for the fourth race of the year

The Legends classification at the Lausitzring will be fully focused on motorcycle sport. Just one week before the World Championship round at the legendary Dutch circuit at Assen (23–25 June/ www.tt-assen.com ), the leader of the Moto2 World Championship, Stefan Bradl (Germany) will compete against two German motorcycle legends in the world’s most eco-conscious one-make cup: Dirk Raudies (Germany), the 1993 World Champion in the 125 cc class, and the 20-time Grand Prix winner Ralf Waldmann (Germany) will also compete at the wheel of the Cup Scirocco at Lausitz. The Legends field will be completed by the Moto2 racers Max Neukirchner (Germany) and Aleix Espargaró from Spain

For Stefan Bradl the race weekend in Brandenburg offers another highlight: The 21-year-old will ride a MotoGP-Ducati for the first time on Saturday. On the 245-hp motorcycle Loris Capirossi set the world speed record of 348.5 km/h in the MotoGP at Barcelona in 2004. Directly before the race of the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup on Saturday the young German hopeful will be doing several demo laps on the motorcycle used in the top category of the sport and on his original Moto2 racing machine from Kalex

All 2011 Scirocco R-Cup races can also be watched on an internet live stream. Viewers have the choice between English or German commentaries. The racing action will be broadcast live at www.volkswagen-motorsport.com/livestream . MotoGP super star Valentino Rossi, who is full of praise for the young German hopeful, plans to check out the race now and then too: "Stefan is delivering a superior performance. If he continues this way, he’ll clinch the title. I’m happy for Stefan and the German fans!”

About a week before the race at the Lausitzring the near-275-hp Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup will be showcased at the Elbepark shopping mall in Dresden. Also on location will be the DTM stars Martin Tomczyk and Maro Engel plus their vehicles

Mateusz Lisowski is travelling to the third 2011 Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup weekend with a score of 108 points as the leader of the standings. The series rookie from Poland most recently in Saturday’s race at Spielberg clinched his second victory after the season opener at Hockenheim and finished the second race as the runner-up. His immediate rival is Stefano Proetto (86 points). The driver from Munich clinched his second Scirocco R-Cup victory in total at the second race in Austria. Ranking in third place overall is the American JD Mobley (72 points), who won the 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup in North America

Volkswagen one-make cups have been competing on the track in Brandenburg since the inauguration of the Lausitzring in 2000. The race in the inaugural year, however, had to be cancelled due to heavy rain. Until 2003 the ADAC VW Lupo Cup was held at Lausitz, from 2004 to 2009 the ADAC Volkswagen Polo Cup and since 2010 the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup. With a track record of three victories each Matthias Meyer (2003 and 2004) and Maciek Steinhof (2009 and 2010) have been the most successful racers so far

The Lausitzring is the most versatile circuit in Germany, featuring a total of ten different track versions. They range from the 1.8-kilometre handling course, the two-mile Superspeedway through to the 11.3-kilometre endurance track. The Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup is held on the 3.478-kilometre DTM version

Scirocco R-Cup victory at the Lausitzring last year went to the Pole Maciek Steinhof in front of Kris Heidorn and Dennis Rieger. The best driver who is also contesting the race this year was Ola Nilsson from Sweden, who finished fourth

Prominent motorsport fans have announced their attendance of the Scirocco R-Cup race at the Lausitzring: The legendary East Berlin rock band "City” will perform a concert in the pit lane on Sunday during the pit walk. Also at the venue will be Wilson Gonzales Ochsenknecht

One week before the Women’s Football World Championship kicks off a big street soccer tournament will be held at the Lausitzring on the race weekend. Up to 72 teams will compete on four small fields in the middle of the paddock on Saturday and Sunday. The victorious team will win 3,000 euros. In addition, players from the German Bundesliga second-league team FC Energie Cottbus have announced their attendance

For the round at Lausitz the use of the push-to-pass system that makes for more thrilling races has been set at 15 uses of 10 seconds each. Between each use a 10-second block is active

16-year-old Jonas Giesler is not only the youngest driver in the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup but also the youngest of all racers to compete on a DTM race weekend.

Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen:

"With the motorcycle aces Stefan Bradl, Dirk Raudies or Ralf Waldmann running at the Lausitzring the grid of the Legends Cup will again be made up of some big names. It will be exciting to see how the motorcycle stars will do in the battle against the regular drivers of the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup. The races at Lausitz are always great thrillers – also thanks to the push-to-pass system. That’s why the Scirocco R-Cup will again deliver an action-packed show to the spectators.”

Stefan Bradl, leader of the Moto2 World Championship:

"I’m very much looking forward to contesting the Scirocco R-Cup because I’m totally crazy about cars. At the moment I’m on the road a lot in the Moto2 championship so the race at Lausitz is a nice change. For me, this is my four-wheel debut, my very first car race. I’m sure that I’ll be having a lot of fun with motorcycle legends like Ralf Waldmann or Dirk Raudies. I’m particularly eager to do the demo lap on the MotoGP-Ducati on Saturday. This will be my debut on a MotoGP bike. I know that the thousands of DTM spectators at the Lausitzring also include many motorcycle fans – they’ll get to see a nice show!”

Daniel Lloyd, Pro Cup driver:

"I’m very optimistic for the Lausitzring although I don’t know the circuit yet. But that shouldn’t be a problem. After finishing as the runner-up at Hockenheim I suffered a bit of misfortune at the Red Bull Ring where I was involved in an accident. But my speed was good which my fastest race lap in round one showed. I’m hoping to clinch a podium result at the Lausitzring.”

Ola Nilsson, Pro Cup driver:

"In 2010 I finished my first race at the Lausitzring in fourth place. I’d like to continue that performance this year and finish as far at the front as possible. The circuit is really good fun. There are many opportunities for overtaking. The main thing is to do a good job of exiting the turns in order to be fast on the three straights.”

Jonas Giesler, Junior Cup driver:

"I know the Lausitzring from last year’s ADAC Formula Masters Experience Day. However, I’ve never driven on this track at racing speed. Therefore, I’ll wait and see what happens. As I’ve directly moved on to the Scirocco R-Cup from kart racing my main aim is to learn and to progressively improve. I immediately closed the book on my accident in the first race at Spielberg. Thanks to Volkswagen and the mechanics I was able to compete again in the second race and to push forwards from 25th place to position 16.”

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